Issue Description

The All-Star Squadron emerges from the White House. The crowd mistakenly refer to them as the Justice Society of America. With Plastic Man serving as a platform, Robotman carries the Atom, Doctor Mid-Nite, and Liberty Belle. In a show of solidarity, the crowd begins singing the "Star-Spangled Banner". In Williamsburg, Virginia, the All-Star Squadron run into a police shoot out, with a band of hoodlums. The All-Star Squadron subdues the hoodlums. The crowds cheer. The All-Star Squadron board an unarmed bomber jet, in Norfolk, Virginia, en route to the West Coast.

During the flight, the members of the All-Star Squadron share their secret identities, and origins, with each other. Figther planes, emblazoned with Japanese markings, emerge from the Pacific Ocean, launched from Per Degaton's submersible air craft carrier. Per Degaton explains his history to his captives, Danielle Reilly, and the Shining Knight. Doctor Mid-Nite, the Hawkman, and the Sandman had apprehended a group of Axis spies, who attempted to abduct America's most brillliant scientists. Doctor Mid-Nite suggested placing the scientists in the protective care of the Justice Society of America, until their work on an anti-missile system could be completed.

Using Professor Zee's Time Ray, the Justice Society of America were projected into the future, to retrieve the necessary items to complete the anti-missile system. Per Degaton secretly sabotaged the anti-missile system, during it's demonstration to America's armed forces, delaying it's implementation. Per Degaton became Zee's assistant, to follow his work on a working time machine. As soon as Zee completed the time machine, Per Degaton shot him, then stole the machine. Per Degaton used the time machine to garner wealth, which he used to hire a private army, which he then took back to the past.

Per Degaton's forces altered the outcome of the Battle of Arbela. Changes in the past, erased elements in Per Dagaton's present, allowing him to conquer the world. Zee, however, lived long enough to alert the Justice Society of America, who went back in time to set history right, thwarting Per Degaton's dreams of conquest. Per Degaton had no memory of his actions, believing them merely to be a dream. Upon realizing that his memories of conquest were not a dream, Per Degaton beat Zee to death, and stole the time machine anew.

This time, Per Degaton traveled to the the future, but found it to be far too advanced for him to ever conquer. Per Degaton intended to bring weapons back from the future, to aid Adolph Hitler in conquering the world. A temporal storm, however, prevented him from taking action until December 7, 1941, the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Per Degaton intends to convince the United States of America to declare war on Japan first, before Germany, to further his own schemes of conquest. To prevent the Justice Society of America from interfering with his newest scheme, Per Degaton gathered their greatest enemies, from the future, to subdue them, in the past.

Reilly makes a grab for the Shining Knight's sword. It's enchantment releases her from her mystic bonds. Reilly, in turn, releases the Shining Knight. Per Degaton orders Solomon Grundy to kill the Shining Knight. The Sky Pirate leads Per Degaton's forces on an air raid on San Francisco. The Sky Pirate makes sure to pass over the Mare Island Naval Base, so that his aricraft's Japanese markings are clearly identified. Sirens blare across San Francisco, heralding the attack. Senator Henry Knight's daughter, Sandra, takes action as the Phantom Lady.

The All-Star Squadron engages Per Degaton's forces. On the ground, the Atom, Doctor Mid-Nite, Liberty Belle, and Plastic Man apprehend a gang of bank robbers, taking advantage of the city wide black out. With a timely assist from the Phantom Lady, the bank robbers are brought to justice. Robotman confronts the Sky Pirate. The Hawkman discovers that Per Degaton's pilots appear to be in some kind of trance. The Sky Pirate reveals Per Degaton's scheme, then vanishes. The Hawkman rescues Robotman from plummeting into the Pacific Ocean, then carries him to the mainland.

Realizing that the Hawkman has assembles a new team of heroes to oppose him, Per Degaton presses a button that will slay his captives, the Justice Society of America.

Note- This issue features an All-Star Squadron Fact File on Per Degaton, as well as a text page detailing "The Secret Wartime History Of The Justice Society Of America.

All-Star Squadron

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

"Come with us now to Earth-Two, and the awesome origin of the All-Star Squadron!"

Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler, Jerry Ordway (credited here as Jeremiah Ordway!) along with editor Len Wein, letterer John Costanza and colorist Carl Gafford begin the wartime adventures of the Golden-Age heroes of the DC Universe. Writer Roy Thomas is no stranger to World War II, or wartime comic book super-heroes having come off Marvel's WWII super-team, The Invaders.

The world of Earth -2 was at war. In a dimension not unlike that of the Justice League on Earth - 1, the greatest heroes of the 1940s had banded together to form the Justice Society of America, but even that wasn't enough to battle the Axis powers plaguing their society. So, at the behest of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a new, larger team was created to help unite the war torn country. The massive All-Star Squadron was formed, setting up their headquarters in the Perisphere at the heart of New York's World's Fair.

The creative team of writer Roy Thomas and artist Rich Buckler on "All-Star Squadron" offered readers a nostalgic glimpse back in time, albeit through the slightly distorted lens of Earth-2's history. In this popular series that ran for 67 issues, readers were treated not only to the adventures of the more familiar Justice Society, but also to every other mystery man of the time and dozens of minor heroes from DC's Golden Age, including the speedster Johnny Quick, the patriotic Liberty Belle, power houses Robotman and Commander Steel, and the 1940s versions of Batman and Robin.

With Thomas'comprehensive knowledge of the heroes and history of World War II era Americana, the All-Star Squadron was a certifiable hit, even if the Earth - 2 shattering events of DC's tumultuous "Crisis on Infinite Earths" maxi series of the mid-1980s took a toll on the book's continuity.

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